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Ceylon Christian Care |
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News |
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Oct13th, 2008 Visit of Rev. Dr. Jeyanesan, Rev. Sounthi and Dr. Ambalavanar to the Netherlands |
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Finally we can say that we had very good meetings and visits. It is our wish and prayer that the war on Sri Lanka will end soon and that their may be peace. That normalcy of live comes back. However above all that the Lord will bless the work of the church and Ceylon Christian Care and that through the Holy Spirit people may see Jesus as their Saviour and receive eternal peace in their heart.
With kind regards, Herman van der Weerd Ceylon Christian Care
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The board of Ceylon Christian Care and their visitors from Sri Lanka and Canada From left to right: Herman van der Weerd, Laurens van der Tang, Rev Sounthi, Dr. Ambalavanar, Wijbren Jongsma, Rev Dr Jeyanesan, Herman Bennink, Evert de Blok |
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Rev Sounthi writes in Tamil on the blackboard |
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Telling the children about Sri Lanka |
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Left: Visit to the GBS together with Bert van Voorden and Paul van de Waal Right: Looking at a Hebrew Bible with Mr. J. de Koning of the GBS |
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Right: Rev. Sounthi visits the projects of Adullam in Staphorst Left: Annie van Werven with one of the disabled people |
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Dear friends,
In the first week of October Rev. Dr Jeyanesan and Rev. Sounthi from Sri Lanka and Dr. Ambalavanar from Canada visited the Netherlands. Goal of their visit was: - To update on the progress of the projects on Sri Lanka - To discuss the revitalization of theological education, including the seminary of the church - To look for Christian publication and printing activities on Sri Lanka - To visit sponsors, schools, Adullam, the GBS and other relations who support the work of Ceylon Christian Care in the Netherlands
Current situation on Sri Lanka The current situation in the Tamil areas, especially in the north of Sri Lanka, is bad. Last year the Sri Lankan army had already chased away the Tamil Tigers from the east of Sri Lanka. Now they are approaching the core area of the Tigers in the north, in the neighborhood of the city Kilinochchi. There are heavy fighting's and about 300,000 people are displaced and live under the trees and in the jungle. They lack food and medical care. Because of this infections and diseases are spreading and innocent people are dying. The government have asked all relief support organizations to leave the area. So no support is available for these people in their situation. In the east normal live is impossible too. Every day new checkpoints are set up. People are losing their hope. We do not know how the future will be.
The project of Ceylon Christian Care Although all this misery, we were happy to hear that the projects of Ceylon Christian Care in the east are running well. Every day over 1,000 families receive help in various matter. Through education, micro credits and others kinds of support. And we are happy that through this work people can hear the message of the gospel.
Theological Education A result of almost 30 years of war is that most educated people and also many pastors have left Sri Lanka. This had an impact on the training of the new pastors. In the same time the church started growing. We see this for example in the village Periyaneelavanai. When we started the projects in 2000 only a few families joined the church services on Sundays. Now we see regularly on Sundays over 200 people joining. In other villages we see the same. There is a need for pastors who are proper trained, who know how to prepare and speech a sermon, who know how to lead a church and more. The same need is there for the church workers. Because of this we had a special guest over from Canada, Dr. Ambalavanar, who studied religion and theology at the universities of Harvard, Princeton and Reading (UK). Dr. Ambalavanar is willing to help the church to revitalize the theological education, including the seminary of the church, to get better trained pastors and church workers in the future. We were also very happy that they are interested in the work and doctrines of Calvin and like to look how to integrate this in the fundamentals of the church and theological seminary and school. We had several intensive and good meetings with Dr. Ambalavanar, Rev. Dr Jeyanesan and Rev. Sounthi. Although Ceylon Christian Care has no formal relationship with the church on Sri Lanka we like to support this work. And above all, it is our wish and prayer that the Lord will bless this initiative and that through this work many people will be lead to our Saviour Jesus Christ.
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Left: Rev. Sounthi talking with Dick van Woudenberg of Marshoek Right: Visiting Evert de Blok of Coas |
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Visits of Sponsors, schools, Adullam and the GBS After the boardmeetings Rev Sounthi visited several of the sponsors, schools, the Adullam Foundation and the GBS.
On Friday Oct. 3rd he visited the sponsor companies Marshoek (Houten) and Coas (Stellendam) and had a meeting with the management.
On Monday Oct 6th Rev Sounthi visited several homes of the Adullam Foundation in Staphorst. Annie van Werven, one of the employees of this foundation worked this year together with Hilda Roeland for three months on the disabled children project in Periyaneelavanai on Sri Lanka. Rev Sounthi got a presentation, tour and explanation of the work the foundation is doing. New ideas were born which could even be implemented in the project on Sri Lanka. At the end of the day he visited the bakery of Bert van Voorden and watched how floor was made to paste which bas baked to bread.
On Tuesday and Wednesday Rev Sounthi visited several primary schools. These schools held in the past actions for Ceylon Christian Care. The schools he visited were: - The Johannes Calvijn school in Veenendaal - The Eben Haezer school in Opheusden - The “School with the Bible - Het Visnet” in Grafhorst - The Johannes Calvijn school in Leerdam Last school has scheduled the second action for Ceylon Christian Care in April 2009. Rev Sounthi give presentations to the children about Sri Lanka. He told about the civil war which goes on for almost 30 years now. How many parent lost their children and many children lost their parents. He told about the tsunami. How many people died in the water but that the people who were at that time in the church were saved. This was a great miracle. The waves were meters high, however no drop of water came into the church. And he told about the country of Sri Lanka. About the animals like elephants and monkeys. Thrilling stories. The children were also allowed to ask questions. Some questions were very personal.
Finally he visited the GBS (Gereformeerde Bijbel Stichting) in Leerdam were Mr. J. de Koning told him about the history of the GBS and gave a tour. From the GBS he also received a Haak-Bible. This is a King James Bible with integrated translated “kanttekeningen”. He was very happy with this gift.
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